


Warning Bells

by Sunhealer24



Series: The Bad Series [6]
Category: Original Work, The Bad Series
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Tragedy, Attempted Murder, Bad BDSM Etiquette, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Death Threats, Disproportionate Amounts Of Hurt To Comfort, Domestic Violence, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Forced Marriage, Gaslighting, Grief/Mourning, Gun Violence, Guns, Heavy Angst, Hurt, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Knives, Lack of Emotional Display, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Minor Character Death, Multi, Murder, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Violence, Psychological Trauma, Psychological Warfare, Psychopathology & Sociopathy, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Violence, Tags May Change, This Is Why I'm Not Allowed To Have A Pen And Paper, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Threats, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Threats of Violence, Violence, Wedding Planning, Weddings, What Was I Thinking?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:27:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26885848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunhealer24/pseuds/Sunhealer24
Summary: After the shocking news that took place, TJ and Sel quickly begin to plan for the big day. However, as it draws closer, Sel finds herself growing more and more distant from the people around her, and the static inside her head only grows.At the center of it all, a surprise guest comes to visit, bearing gifts. In the final hour, will they be Sel's saviour? Or her downfall?
Relationships: Original Character & Original Character, Original Character(s) & Original Character(s), Original Character(s)/Original Character(s), Original Female Character & Original Female Character, Original Female Character & Original Male Character, Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Female Character, Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Series: The Bad Series [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1343698
Comments: 17
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

"Pink, green, or blue?" I faintly heard him ask. I didn't look over at him, not really knowing what he was talking about. I had been too lost in my own thoughts, staring out the window that I was sitting in. 

TJ let out an irate sigh. "Sel." He said, and I heard him coming close to me.  _ "Darling."  _ He forced the endearment out, a threatening edge to his tone as he placed his hand on my shoulder. 

"Hm?" I inquired, still not looking at him, opting to stare out the window instead. It had been a week and a half since TJ had publicly announced our engagement, and he and I had moved in together, into this house that we would be sharing officially when we were married. The engagement had produced a good bit of hubbub, and the usual amount of gossip, but just about everyone seemed to be happy for us. 

I shook my head dismissively. If only they knew the truth. 

"Sel." TJ's voice drew me out of my thoughts again. "What color are we making the bridesmaids' dresses? Green, blue, or pink?" He paused for a minute. "I can show you the sketches if that would be easier." 

I nodded, briefly considering how we almost seemed like a normal, happy, couple right now, before getting up and following him back over to the couch, where he had all the wedding plans laid out on the coffee table in front of him. 

"Now, the wedding planner is coming by this afternoon. I need you to be on your best behavior. Wouldn't want to cause an unfortunate accident, now would we?" He asked, holding my gaze. 

There was the TJ that I knew. The one that was so easy to hate. It was harder when he was kind, when he acted like we were a normal couple and treated me gently, because I wanted to accept it then. I wanted to let the wedding, the relationship, happen. 

When it was good, it was positively blissful. But when it was bad, it was torture. And when it was good, it made me want to forget the bad. 

I let out a deep breath that I didn't know I had been holding onto and dropped my gaze, looking instead at my hands folded neatly in my lap. "I understand." I whispered. 

"Good girl." I saw the corner of his mouth quirk up into a smile. "Now, let's look at these bridesmaids' dresses. The wedding planner expects our decision on them today." 

His hand moved to rest passively on my thigh as he showed me the patterns. He pretended not to notice as I repressed a shudder. 

"This one." I finally said, pointing to a dress with ruffles at the bottom that would fall to the bridesmaids' knees. It had straps instead of sleeves, perfect for the heat, with a cinched waist. 

"Color?" TJ asked me, not missing a beat. He grabbed a pen and started making annotations on the pattern for the dress. 

I considered for a minute before responding. "A light shade of blue and pink would look nice together." I finally commented. "Half wearing blue, half wearing pink?" 

TJ nodded, writing it down again. There was another strange sense of normalcy in this, one that I wasn't used to from him. It made me shift uncomfortably in my seat. At least before, I had some idea of what to expect. Now, I was on unfamiliar territory. 

I sighed, closing my eyes for a second, and just letting myself relax in the moment. I pretended that this was a normal wedding. That I was happy with it, and I wasn't marrying this man because lives, and a baby, were on the line. 

I opened my eyes and brushing TJ's hand off of my thigh, stood up. He examined me with scrutiny. "I'm going to go take a shower before the wedding planner gets here." I explained quickly, feeling extremely dirty. 

He gave me a curt nod, but I felt his eyes on me as I left the room and ascended the stairs. 

I sighed, closing the bathroom door behind me. Afternoon sunlight streamed through the frosted glass as I traced the wood paneling with my fingertips, missing the chink in my own door from the knife blade. 

Biting my lip, I locked the door behind me, turning on the lights and fan. I took off my clothes, tossing them into the laundry basket beside the sink, and turned on the shower. 

I stared at my reflection while waiting for the water to warm up. The girl in the mirror made me flinch. Her complexion was paler than I remembered, and her eyes were sunken into her face, bags sitting under them. Her breasts and collar bones were covered in bite marks, her hips and sides in bruises and fingerprints. There weren't any marks anywhere it would show, no. TJ was much too cautious for that. He would not be robbed of his 'prize' that he had spent so long chasing after.

I hesitantly grabbed a makeup wipe from the package I'd left on the sink, knowing that after this, what I would see would only get worse. I closed my eyes, wiping away the heavy makeup I put on whenever I might need to see someone that wasn't TJ. 

Looking in the mirror again, I leaned on the sink and choked back a sob. Handprints encircled the reflection's neck like a velvet ribbon. She had a black eye and a fading red splotch on the opposite cheek.

I broke my gaze from the mirror and stepped into the shower, as if the warm water would wash away all my problems. 

Shampoo was massaged into my scalp and then cleaned away. Soap suds covered the tragically beautiful patterns of flowering bruises that crisscrossed my skin. 

I stepped out of the shower and sighed. Nothing would ever be the same again. Nothing would ever be beautiful again. The fluffiness of the towel enveloped me. 

I squeezed my eyes shut, shivering, and reached for my clothes. Bra, underwear, and a simple white dress, cinched at the waist. 

Wrapping my hair in a towel, I applied simple makeup over the visible bruises and then mascara. This was routine at this point. Autopilot, don't even think about it. 

Blow dryer, then the necklace and the ring. Take a deep breath. Hang the towels up, clean up after myself. Another deep breath. 

Alright. I can't put it off any longer. I glanced in the mirror one last time before heading downstairs. 

TJ looked up at me as I descended the stairs, and he smiled at me. "You look radiant, Sel. And you're just in time. The wedding planner should be here any moment now." 

I nodded, taking a seat beside him and smoothing down my dress nervously. "Remember." His lips grazed the outer shell of my ear as he spoke in a faint whisper. "Remember to play nice. Getting another wedding planner wouldn't be too hard, but I've grown to like this one. And four is a bit extreme, don't you think?" 

I bit my lip, praying quietly to myself for TJ to spare her. "Yes, I understand." I responded in the same hushed tone. 

"Good girl." He squeezed my hand lightly as the doorbell rang. "It's open!" He called out, and I heard the front door open. 

Miranda walked into the room, looking as professional as the last time I had seen her. She held a folder under her arm and tucked a stray piece of blue hair behind her ear as she sat down.

"Good afternoon Miranda." TJ greeted smoothly. She nodded towards us, opening her folder and leafing through it. 

"Good afternoon, TJ, Sel. I'd love to exchange pleasantries, but given that your wedding is only a short week away, perhaps we can later." Her green eyes flickered up to meet mine for a second before looking back at her papers. "Did you decide on the bridesmaids' dresses yet?" 

"Yes, we did." TJ responded, handing her the sketch. She gave it a once over before nodding in approval. 

"Lovely. In a few days, Sel will need to get her final measurements and alterations done on her wedding dress." Miranda said, putting the sketch of the dresses away and writing down a few notes. 

"Of course. Where will that be?" TJ responded. I shook my hand free from his, drawing both of my hands into my lap as I watched the two interact. 

A lot had happened recently, and suddenly, I just needed to be alone. I needed to get out of the house and clear my head. "Hey TJ?" I asked softly. "I'm going to go out for an hour or so. I'll be back by four." 

He nodded before responding to whatever Miranda had just said. I stood up from the loveseat and quietly walked out of the room before he could change his mind. 

I hesitated for a minute before snagging my car keys and stepping out of the front door,but only for a minute. The sunshine hit my face, and, despite the heat, it felt good. 

It was bright and clear out, and I shielded my eyes as I walked to my car and got in. I closed my eyes before turning the key and starting the car. 

I let the road guide me out of the driveway and through the town. I didn't know where I was going until I was almost there. I parked my car and rested heavily against the steering wheel. 

I should have brought flowers. 


	2. Chapter 2

I walked slowly down the cemetery's paths, knowing exactly where the grave was, but still reading every name. It didn't hurt any less, to know that she was buried among so many other people, that she would never be alone again, but maybe it helped ease the blow, just a little. 

I knelt in front of her grave when I reached it. There were some flowers growing on it and I smiled, melancholy. "Hey Vy." I murmured. "How are you? Do people come and visit you often?" 

I was quiet for a moment, imagining her responding to me. "Life is shitty right now. TJ's asked me to marry him. Well, I say 'asked', but it's not like I have a choice." I felt a few tears trickle down my face. "I miss you, Vy. I wish you could still be here. I wish you could talk to me. I wish I could just hold your hand, hug you one more time, tell you I love you." I brushed the tears away, closing my eyes. 

"If wishes were horses, I think you'd need a stable." A voice said quietly from behind me. A hand rested on my shoulder, comfortingly. I said nothing as they continued. "I miss her too."

The person chuckled hopelessly, and it fell a little flat. "You know, they buried her under the wrong grave? One day, when I die, they'll bury me under her name." 

I looked up into their familiar, hazel eyes. "God, it sucks that he killed Lilith, and it sucks that I wasn't able to tell you I was alive." Vy knelt down next to me, brushing over my face with her thumb. 

"H-how?" I let out a strangled sound, the one word all I could manage before collapsing into her chest, sobbing in relief. 

"Shh." She was stroking my hair, cradling me, but I could feel her body shaking with emotion. "TJ came to find me, to kill me. And. . . he found Lilith instead. Since she's my twin, he assumed it was me, and. . . well, you know the rest. I couldn't even go to her funeral because I was afraid that TJ would realize his mistake." Vy sighed heavily. 

"But you're back now?" I asked quietly. 

"Yeah, I am. What's this I hear about you and TJ getting married?" She asked. I looked up to her and saw that her normally soft eyes were steely. 

"He's killed a bunch of people, he's hurt me, he's. . ." I fell silent for a second before saying in the tiniest voice possible, "he. . . he got me pregnant." I felt her tense up. "I'm sorry. . ." 

"No, Sel, it's not your fault. . ." She took a deep breath. "I've just missed a lot, and now I've got to learn about it. I just forgot how fucked up he was while I was gone. Maybe I wanted to forget." She rested her head on top of mine. "This is all my fault. I should have taken you with me. I shouldn't have let him hurt you." 

"Vy, you did what you had to do. I'm just happy you're alive and here." I comforted her. 

She nodded, "Tell me what's happened since I've been gone. I'm ready for it." I bit my lip, debating for a second if she was really ready before pulling her off the ground and sitting on a nearby park bench with her. 

"Alright. A lot has happened since you've been gone, like you said." I explained to her what had happened since she was gone, and as I talked, she seemed to become a mix of sad, disgusted, and angry. By the time I was finished, the sun was much lower in the sky, and Vy was holding my hand again. It was comfortable. 

"I'm going to kill him." Vy seethed. "I really am. He deserves to die. He deserves worse than death. Death would be mercy." She ran her hand through her hair, which had been cut into a pixie since I had last seen her, and exhaled. "God I missed you. Can we get a drink? I think I need some alcohol." 

I nodded, resting my head on her shoulder. "As long as no one recognizes you, we'll be fine."

"No one should. I look really different, plus" she pulls out a card and flashes it at me. "I have a fake ID." 

"Vy, this says your name is Theo and that you're a twenty-three year old guy." I laugh slightly, reading the card. 

"Yeah, well, I look the part." She shrugs, snatching it back and shoving it in her wallet. "Come on, I'll buy." 

"Oh, alright. But just one or two. I have to be home by four." I sighed. Her face darkened, obviously unhappy to hear that I was calling TJ's house home now. 

She didn't say anything though, only holding open the door of her truck for me. She started the truck up, and once we both got in, she drove out of the cemetery in silence. 

After we passed the gates, her attitude grew a bit brighter. "I missed you, Sel." She said quietly. "Really." 

"I missed you too." I murmured, my throat closing up. Even if I could say it to her a million more times, it would never be enough. 

"Don't forget to call me Theo when we're in the bar." Vy reminded me gently. "We don't need TJ getting suspicious." 

I caught her eye in the mirror and nodded. "Yeah, I know that better than anyone." Her lips pressed together in a thin line as she pulled up to the main bar in town. I remembered that my dad used to go here a lot, when he and mom were still married.

We got out of the truck and Vy held the door open for me. "Thank you." I said, nodding to her. 

She followed me inside, and we both sat down at the old, but polished bar. "What'll you be having?" Paul asked us, his eyes flitting quickly between the two of us. 

"Soda for the lady, and a scotch for me." Vy said. The older man appraised her. Paul had been the bartender there for longer than I had been alive. Thirty years maybe? He was getting to be an old man, rough around the edges, but he still had a soft spot for the young people who came here. I guess he liked that they still had an appreciation for the small bars, instead of driving to the flashier corporate ones.

"You got an ID?" He asked. 

"Sure do." Vy pulled her wallet from her jeans and presented herself as Theo. 

"Hmph. Seems legit. Lemme get you those drinks then." Paul shuffled off a few feet to get the drinks while Vy and I talked quietly. He set them down heavily on the counter in front of us. "So, Theo, what brings you into town?" Vy started to get out her wallet to pay, but he waved her off. "Nah, these are on the house, since your friend's making plans to get hitched. I've known her since she was a tiny child." He chuckled slightly.

'Theo' told Paul how he was stopping in town to visit a few friends—myself included—while on the way to see his parents, a few hours away from here. Paul nodded, seemingly satisfied, telling the young man to be safe out there and how he was a good lad for visiting his parents. 

Vy and I chatted aimlessly in the bar, aware that anyone could be listening. We were careful not to diverge from the Theo story, that I met him at college and he was just going to be here for a few days. 

When we finally finished our drinks, I realized that Vy's fingers had become interlaced with my own, and my cheeks flushed slightly. She gave me a reassuring half smile as we walked out the door and back to her truck. Before she let go of my hand to let me get in, she gave it a chaste kiss, her eyes brimming with emotion. 

There was so much between us, but there were eyes everywhere. So I swallowed the lump in my throat and closed the door of the car. The ride back to the cemetery was filled with silence as we both processed our thoughts.

"Sel-" she started as she parked the car. Then she cut herself off. 

"I know." I said quietly. "I'll be okay. Just promise me that you won't let him get you. I can't lose you again." I leaned my forehead against hers, staring into her eyes. "Promise me."

"I promise." She barely breathed, closing the few inches between our faces for a tender kiss. 

The moment lasted for eternity, and then I noticed the sun setting. Shit. 

I scrambled out of Vy's truck and started running towards my car, hearing her engine start behind me. I was going to be in trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

I closed the door to the house behind me as quietly as I could, wincing as I heard the latch click into place. I hung the car keys up by the door and took my shoes off. The hallway was dark, but the light in the living room was on, so I assumed that was where I was supposed to go. 

I stepped onto the carpet of the living room floor, cringing as I saw TJ sitting on the couch, reading a book. "You're late." He was much too calm.

"I know, I'm-"

"I wasn't finished." He was still deadly calm, and, as far as I could tell, he hadn't looked up from his book. "You're late, and you're cheating on me." He did put his book down, standing up and turning around to face me. "Don't try to deny it. There were plenty of people who saw you and your college friend. . . Theo?" His lips twisted up in a cruel smirk. "Theo, grabbing a drink at the bar today. He kissed your hand in the parking lot, and one of my men tailed you to the cemetery. He saw the kiss." TJ's eyes flashed dangerously. "Wouldn't it be a shame if his darling parents never see their joyful college boy again?" 

"TJ. . . please." I trembled slightly. Vy had promised that she could, and would, take care of herself, but I didn't want it to come to that. "I won't go anywhere with him anymore. It was just a stupid mistake anyway!"

"You'd better pray that's all it was." He hissed. He reached out, grabbing me by the neck and squeezing. "We're going upstairs, Sel. Now."

I nodded, scratching weakly at the hand that was cutting off my oxygen supply. I felt weak, and the pressure in my skull was mounting. He dropped me, letting me gasp and heave for a few seconds before nudging me with his foot. "Move it." 

I couldn't stand up, my head spinning from the lack of oxygen. I crawled towards the staircase, collapsing at the bottom of it, knowing I couldn't possibly make it up the stairs. 

"What's the matter?" TJ sneered. "Too weak to climb the stairs? Fine. I'll take you right here then." There was a moment of complete nothing that made me tense up before I felt my hands being tied to the banister with expert grace and precision. He tested the bonds to make sure they were secure, apparently pleased with his work. "Stay here. I have to go get a few things." He said, leaving me alone for a minute to my own internal dialogue. 

I wondered what he was getting, apprehension filling my body and fear clouding my mind. He was back beforeI had much time to dwell on the thoughts. 

He stripped me down with efficiency, and about as much tenderness as an assembly line worker. "Hold still." He commanded as I felt cold metal lock around my right ankle. He held my left ankle out, far from the other, locking another piece of metal around it. "Such a good girl. Why can't you be this good outside?" He sighed quietly, and I heard the soft swish of something leather.

"You're going to count." He demanded. There was no room for argument in his tone. I bit my lip, holding back the tears. 

There was a cool swish of air, and then the burning hot pain of leather against my exposed cunt. I screamed, trying to force my legs together. They wouldn't move. Tears rolled down my face. 

"I said count goddammit!" TJ snarled, tangling his fingers in my hair and pulling my head back. "Count or I'll double it!" 

"O-one. . ." I barely whispered, my cunt hurt, clit throbbing in pain. My scalp was screaming, but worse than all of that was the humiliation. The knowledge that he could and would treat me like less than a human. Less than an animal. I was dazed, my mind swimming in and out of the blurry haze of pain. It was too hard to concentrate on the indistinct voice above me.

"Were you even listening to me?" He sighed. I whimpered. I had not been. "I'll say it one more time." The scowl was evident in his voice. "Five for being late, five for cheating on me, and five for your disrespect." 

I said nothing, steeling myself for the next fourteen painful blows. Thankfully, I didn't miss a number, but TJ seemed overly joyful at the fact that I had cum twice during my punishment. "Such a dirty slut. . . clean up the mess you made." He shoved a riding crop into my face, and I wrinkled my nose as I could smell myself on it. He seemed irritated, so he yanked on my hair and shoved the wet leather into my mouth. 

"Maybe I should get you a spider gag, since you have problems keeping your mouth open." He snapped at me, thrusting the crop down my throat and back, enjoying the fact that I was choking on it.

He seemed to grow bored quickly, however, and moved on to something different."I'm going to fuck you until you can't walk." Was the only warning I got. I felt his cock pressing against my entrance and then he was inside me, tearing me up again and making me a worthless shell. 

"You'll never want another after me." He grunts. "And nobody else will want you after me anyway." I could feel my soul shriveling up. I always felt my worst when he was destroying me with both his words and his body, so insecure and desperate. I needed something to cling onto in this wicked place. There had to be something I could do to survive, or else I'd suffocate under the weight of his hateful love. 

My thoughts ground to a stuttering halt as the blood in my ears roared. He was choking me again, one hand on my hip and one encircling my neck, both gripping hard enough to bruise. TJ's face was twisted with hate, malice, and something else that I couldn't identify. 

He was breathing heavily, short puffs of air coming out of his mouth. "You're almost beautiful like this, Sel." He started, and I closed my eyes as he continued to talk, accepting that this would be how I died. His voice was fading in and out, sensations becoming blurry. "Mine to break and subdue, I could kill you and bring you back to life. I am in complete control of everything. I am your  **_god._ ** " 

He let go of my throat and I coughed, gasping for the air that my burning lungs were screaming for. My eyes snapped open, and I panted, looking up at TJ as he grabbed my other hip again and smirked at me. "Say you want it. Say you want me to cum inside of you." 

I was dazed, breathless, and it took me a moment to process what he was demanding. I swallowed my pride. "I. . . I want you to cum inside of me." I whispered. 

He looked at me expectantly for a minute before growing frustrated and slapping me across the face, snapping my head to the side. "Try again, and do it right this time." 

My face burned, my cheek resting against the cool stone of the stairway. "I want you to cum inside of me. . . Master?" I finally guessed. He groaned, his hips stuttering to a halt against mine and filling me up with his warm cum. 

He smirked at me, running his fingers through my hair as he slowly pulled out. "Such a good girl." 


	4. Chapter 4

I sat on the couch, TJ's hand resting possessively on my thigh. He was chatting quietly with Miranda about something or other about the wedding. I think I heard something about bouquets? 

I shifted slightly and he squeezed my thigh in an iron grip, making sure I wasn't going anywhere. I fought the instinct to wince. If anything was wrong, Miranda didn't notice. She was writing down notes, blue hair shielding her gaze. 

I cleared my throat. "Could I go take a walk? All this heat is getting to me." It wasn't a lie. It was warm out, and TJ had forced me to wear a jacket to cover up the rope burns on my wrists, and pants to cover up the chaffing from the shackles on my ankles. 

TJ exchanged one long look with me, as if to say  _ "don't fuck up this time"  _ and then let go of my leg, leaving me to walk out the door. As much as I wanted to dash for it, that would be suspicious. And TJ would kill anyone who got suspicious. I didn't need another person's blood on my hands. 

I grabbed the car keys from the hook by the door, feeling an ache deep in my muscles as I raised my arms. I ignored it as I walked out the door, through the driveway, and got into my car. It was best to keep my mind blank sometimes.

Vy was waiting for me when I pulled up at the cemetery, her hair wet, as if she had just taken a shower. She leaned up against her truck, glancing at her phone. "Hey Sel." She said, not looking up. 

"Hey Theo." I murmured, leaning against the warm metal beside her. "I was thinking that we should go see that new movie while you're in town. You know, the one about the guy being followed by aliens, and it turns out he's partially one of them?" I tried my best to sound casual, hoping that Vy would pick up on my message. 

She looked up from her phone, scanning my face to try to gauge the situation before responding. "Yeah. That would be nice. Hey, I'm sorry about the kiss the other day. I had a few unresolved feelings from college." Her eyes shone with emotion. She might have been apologizing, but it was clear that neither of us would hesitate to do it again. 

"Yeah, I get that, but I'm getting married now, and you're just a friend to me, Theo." I closed my eyes, laying my head back against the warm metal and letting it soothe both the aches in my neck and the pain in my heart. I couldn't cry while saying this. We both knew that it wasn't true, but now that I knew for sure that I was being followed, I had to convince TJ that 'Theo' and I were nothing more than friends. 

"Yeah. I'm really sorry Sel. How can I make it up to you? Do you want some ice cream or something?" Vy replied. It was lucky that TJ's men hadn't heard 'Theo's' confession yesterday about who she really was and the talk we had about what had happened. If they had, then she would really be in danger. 

"Ice cream sounds nice. It's really warm today. I have to be home in an hour or two though." I said, opening my eyes and facing Vy again. The hard part was over.

"Alright. We'll take my truck then. I don't want to get your car dirty. And I'll have you back here in a jiffy." Vy smiled at me, tousling my hair gently. "Come on, loser. Let's get some ice cream." 


	5. Chapter 5

TJ had been pleased when I had come home that afternoon. He had crooned sweet nothings in my ear, empty promises. How proud he was of me for setting my boundaries with Theo and for making sure that he didn't have to clean up another of my messes. 

Yet another double edged sword. A compliment that bit me. It dug into my skin, denting the flesh around it until it broke. A blade is much harder than a layer of fragile tissue, after all. It pressed into that tissue until the soft matter gave under it, submitting and yielding it's heady crimson wine. 

I cried quietly that night until TJ came to bed and cradled me in his arms, a sick semblance of romance. With every passing day, I found myself wrapped in another wedding preparation, growing ever closer to the holy vow that struck such an empty, hollow, chord within me. Every night, I slept in my fiancé's arms, convincing myself that this is what love is.

I could feel the colors draining away from my world, but I couldn't find it in myself to care. Every day, a small piece of me died. Is this what it was like to lose your spirit? Your will to live? I knew Vy was out there, but with the illusion that Theo had left town three days ago, we didn't meet, didn't talk. 

Even if we could, what was the point? I knew I was under constant surveillance from the moment I left the house to the moment I crossed the entryway again. Whether it was TJ, who was with me, or his lackeys tailing me, it didn't matter. 

It was the day before the wedding, and I was ready for the whole charade to be over. I was sick of the extensive planning, the mask I had to put up, and the ever growing anxiety. 

I would have almost prefered that TJ had eloped with me at a quiet, private ceremony. But he had money, and he wanted to flaunt it. He had invited most of the town. It was to be a beautiful, expansive wedding, followed by a lavish party. 

"You're not eating." He noted as I picked at my food, moving it around my plate.

I set down my fork. "I'm not really hungry." He fixed me with a steely gaze. 

"Sel." His tone was stern, and I might have been wary, if I still had it in me to care about his tone. I turned away from him, gazing out a nearby window. "Sel. Eat your food." He almost growled at this point. 

I stood up from the table, still not looking at him, and pushed my chair in. "No." 

He was on me before my brain registered that he had moved, his weight pinning me to the floor, one hand around my neck, choking me, and the other holding my arms. I laughed quietly, hopelessly. I was giving up. "Kill me." I murmured hoarsely. 

"Never. I'll make you wish you were dead, but I'm not going to kill you." TJ whispered in my ear. 

"Do it, coward." I muttered. He didn't respond, instead getting off of me and picking me up. 

"You always have to make everything so hard, now don't you, Sel?" He asked as he cradled me in his arms, carrying me upstairs. 

"What's the big bad wolf gonna do now?" I leered. "You can't break me anymore. I'm too tired. Too broken. There's no way you can hurt me anymore." I saw a small smile flicker across his face. 

"My dear, you underestimate me. And who said anything about hurting you?" 

All of a sudden, a cold flash of fear hit me. A sensation I hadn't felt in days held my heart in a vice like grip. What did he intend to do tonight if he wasn't planning to break me? 

He opened the door to our bedroom, setting me down on the bed. I tried to sit up, but he gently pushed me back down. "God, you're so beautiful, Sel." He said, sitting on the bed next to me.

He removed my clothes one piece at a time, carefully. I was slightly confused. He had never been this gentle before. TJ's lips hovered over mine, his eyes soft and molten. They drew me into their depths, hypnotic, and made me remember why I had once considered this man a friend and perhaps, even a bit more than that.

The skin of his lips brushed mine, petal soft, before he kissed me. It was a soft kiss, reminiscent of wildflowers and perfumed night breezes. 

When he drew away, strands of his hair dangled in my face, and I couldn't help but think that we must look like the cover of some sensual lingerie magazine at the moment. 

"Tell me what you want." He rasped quietly. "Tell me how I can make you feel whole again." 

He pulled his shirt off, showing me his abs as I whispered a response, my face burning. "Kiss me again? Will you make love to me?" 

He rested his hands on my shoulders as he kissed me again softly, leaving me wanting more. His mouth moved down my neck and chest until it rested on my clit. He carefully kissed and licked the sensitive bud, pleasuring me ever so slowly. 

I lost all track of time, stuck in a haze of euphoria until I came and he took my trembling body into his arms, allowing me to curl up to him. "I told you I wasn't going to hurt you." He whispered. 

"Mmm. . . I love you too. . ." 


	6. Chapter 6

I was nervous, standing in front of the mirror in my wedding dress. "I don't know, what do you think mom?" I turned to her, biting my lip. She smiled at me, and I could tell she was holding back tears. 

"You look so beautiful, honey." She bit her lip and sniffled slightly. "My little girl, all grown up. . . oh, I'm so proud of you. Make good decisions, okay honey? Don't be like me." 

I stepped over, holding up the front of my dress, and hugged her. "Mom, I love you so much. You're amazing and strong, and the best I could have asked for." I felt tears threatening to spill from my own eyes now. "I'm really happy you're here, and I'd love it if you'd give me away." 

She nodded, tears filling her eyes again. "I'd love to. My god, you're so grown up." She repeated. 

I forced a smile and nodded, smoothing down the front of my dress. "It's almost time for the wedding." I could hear music starting from a few rooms away. 

"I'll go get your bouquet and make sure that Cas is okay. It'll just take a few minutes."

"Would you send in Sarah?" I asked quietly. She nodded before leaving the room. I turned back to the mirror, touching up my hair until I saw 'Sarah' come into the room. 

"Hey Sel. How are you doing?" Vy asked me quietly. She was wearing a long, silver wig and had gotten a spray tan for the wedding. She looked like a girl again, even though she didn't look like my best friend. 

"I'm nervous." I admitted. "I don't want to marry him, but I have no choice." Her expression became serious.

"You do have one other option." She stood so close to me that I could feel her breath on my skin. "Take this." She pressed a thin, sharp, object into my hand. "When you're about to say your vows, I'll object. That's when you'll stab him. It has to be you, because you'll be the one closest to him. And he'll never expect your betrayal." 

I swallowed hard, wrapping my fingers around the handle of the knife. "Okay. And this will be the key to our happy ending?" My voice came out much smaller than I wanted it to. I was supposed to be strong, but I felt so weak. 

Vy nodded. "I'm sorry it has to be this way Sel. I really am." She drew her hand out of mine, cocking her head to listen to the music emanating from the chapel. "It's time." She gently placed the veil over my face. "Everyone's waiting." 

I hid the dagger in the folds of my dress. The blade caught the fabric easily and slid through it, wedging it against my thigh. Vy picked up the train of my dress, carrying it as I opened the door into the hallway, where my mom was waiting for me.

None of us said a word, opting to listen to the music for a precious moment before the doors to the chapel were flung open. It was our cue. I didn't let any tears fall, even though my veil covered my face. 

It was a beautiful ceremony, but it felt more like a funeral than a wedding. Soon, it would be. TJ smiled at me as my mother sat down in a pew and Vy took her place next to me. "Thank you Sarah." I whispered quietly. 

"Dearly beloved, we gather here today to witness the marriage of Treston Jones and Sel Silverwind." The preacher began. My own thoughts grew louder and louder in my head, drowning him out. My heart beat heavily in my chest. 

TJ lifted the veil from my face, brushing the back of his hand against my face. "You're so beautiful today, Sel." 

"If anyone should object to this marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace." 

Vy took a deep breath. "I object!" TJ glared at her in a murderous rage, his mask shattering in front of everyone. 

"This wedding will go on if I have to kill you." He murmured very quietly. But it was loud enough for everyone on the dais to hear. It was now or never. 

I took a deep breath, pulling the knife out of my dress, ripping the fabric in the process, and shoved the blade into his stomach. His face went from angry to shocked to enraged. "You traitor." He hissed, grabbing the blade and pulling it from his flesh. A trickle of red accompanied it. "You think you are the first to try to kill me? I've prepared for every eventuality." 

He pulled a gun from the inside of his suit, aiming it at me. "Vows." He demanded. 

I licked my lips, my mouth suddenly going dry. "I- I. . ." He pulled the hammer back with a click. 

"Don't test me. I have nothing to lose. This wedding will go on if I have to kill everyone in this room." He spoke louder now, so that everyone could hear him. "If anyone is thinking of being a hero, let me change your mind. There is enough C-4 in the back of the chapel to blow up the entire block. If you want to live, you will witness this event." TJ turned his attention back to me. "I have worked far too hard for this." 

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Vy. "Don't do this Sel." She said, stepping forward to stand next to me. 

"Ah. You. This could have gone so smoothly, had it not been for you." TJ sneered, swinging the gun at her. "I think I'll kill you first." 

"You couldn't even do it right last time, bastard." She spat. "So I'd like to see you try." 

TJ's eyes narrowed. "So you're not who you say you are." She pulled off her wig, and I saw the cold metal glint of another gun barrel in her hand. "I knew I should have sent my men after you." 

Vy scoffed. "You couldn't do the job yourself. What makes you think they would be able to?" 

"Who are you?" TJ asked her, swinging the gun to aim at her. They stood there, facing off against each other in the eerie silence. Death was in the air. At least one person would not be leaving here alive.

"I'm almost offended. We were friends for fifteen years, before you decided you could do anything you wanted." 

TJ's eyes widened an almost imperceptible amount. "Vy." 

"I'm already dead. All I need is for you to join me." She replied. "Six feet under, it's more than you deserve." 

He almost frowned before his eyes lit up and a sadistic grin spread across his features. "You may not care about yourself, but what about her?" He gestured towards me before leveling the gun at my head. "You shoot, I guarantee she's going down with me. But there's another way."

"What are you offering?" Vy asked, so quietly that I almost missed it. 

"Put down the gun. Let the marriage go through, and we can be a family, together." His laugh was hollow. "We're not so different, you and I. We both love the same girl, and we're willing to kill each other over her. But this is a better way. I'll break her, and you can fix her. You still get to be her precious hero. We can both keep her." 

A knot formed in my stomach as he explained it to her. This was insane. Vy knew better, she knew not to trust him, she knew-

"How do I know you won't kill me later?" She asked suspiciously, her gun dropping a millimetre. 

"For the same reason that you won't kill me later. Her safety." 

Vy bit her lip before lowering her gun and stepping back a pace. "Agreed." 

"Good. Now. The wedding." TJ moved the gun over to the preacher, who quickly averted his eyes and murmured the rest of the ceremony. 

We brushed through the "I dos" quickly and exchanged rings. I was too shocked to do anything but go along with it. 

"Now." My husband said to the wedding guests. "I will give  _ you _ a gift. Your lives. We will leave first, and you will not follow us." 

There were a few murmurs from the audience, but no one stood up as TJ escorted the two of us from the church and into his car. He called someone as he drove, his phone ringing twice before they picked up.

"Yeah. We're good. Do it." He spoke. A moment later, I clapped my hands over my ears, curling into a ball as a loud explosion echoed through the quiet. 

"Y-you said. . ." I murmured, tears spilling over my cheeks. Vy was looking out the window blankly. I think she was in shock.

"Some gifts are returnable, darling. You should have remembered. I hate loose ends." 


	7. Chapter 7

I sat on the bed, my head in my hands. Vy sat on one side of me, TJ on the other. 

"It's okay." TJ soothed me. "We can make you very happy. I'm going to make you a mother, put a baby in you so you can never leave. You'll learn to love this. Your new life." 

"What? But she said she was pregnant already." Vy questioned, looking up from her hands at TJ. 

"How else could I convince her to marry me?" TJ replied. "I was able to give her a blend of medication to mimic the symptoms she would have if pregnant."

"But, the test!" I objected. 

He laughed quietly. "Easy enough to switch out with a false positive one while you were getting water. It wasn't just sleeping pills that I'd been feeding you. Metoclopramide to make you lactate, Lybrel to suppress your period, Lorazepam on and off to cause mood swings. It wasn't that hard to play high frequency sounds throughout your old room to cause you headaches." 

I felt sick. "The morning sickness? Nausea?" 

"Larger doses of iron supplements than your body could handle." He explained. "It wasn't that hard to fake the symptoms and then convince you to marry me." He kissed my forehead gently. 

"You're a monster!" I choked out, trying to smack him. He caught my hands easily. 

"Ah, yes. But you married the monster, and now neither of you will survive without me. You're mine, both of you. Finally." 

He wrapped his arms around my stiff form, grabbing Vy's hands and clasping them behind my neck, as if we were poseable dolls. "You should have known this would never end well. You should have heard the warning bells." He whispered. 

It was too late. My life was just one tragedy after another, and it seemed that this was the best I would ever get.

  
  


". . . I love you too." I said, and I  _ almost _ meant it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh!
> 
> Thank you all _so_ much for joining me on this journey and seeing it through to completion! The main storyline is now completely finished, although at some point there will be an affiliated story called "Three's Company" about how they all adjust to married life under the same roof. 
> 
> In the meantime, if you want to support me, check out some more of my content and leave a comment and a kudos! Let me know if you would be interested in a "buy me a coffee " account! 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! ❤️


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